The Storm
by plethora of colours
Summary: Hi everyone! The following is my take on the first flashback scene from The Originals 1x16, 'Farewell to Storyville', in which Klaus and Rebekah are young children and Klaus offers Rebekah comfort on a stormy night. Find out what's going through Rebekah's mind during the scene. Nik's gift triggers a painful memory... I truly appreciate any reviews! Love, plethora of colours


Rebekah awoke with a jolt. A malicious storm was raging outside. Shuddering, she buried her face in her blanket, willing as hard as she could for it to pass. But the thin, cold cloth would not provide shelter, would not protect her from the relentless thunder's menacing rumble.

Storms terrified Rebekah to her core. They were the epitome of all that was cruel, all that was terrible. Raging blindly, they destroyed anything in their path, leaving only despair.

Two years ago, Rebekah's dear friend Andromeda had been playing outside late in the evening when unprecedented disaster had struck. A single strike of deadly silver lighting had taken her from the world forever.

But it wasn't just the memory of Andromeda's tragic demise that made Rebekah's blood freeze in her veins. She knew that storms were the home of a much greater evil - home to the beasts that haunted her nightmares. Home to the monsters under her bed.

God-forsaken, soulless creatures preying on flesh, blood, life essence. Unleashed on nights like this one, when the world let out its fury. Rebekah recalled Mother's storybooks, which depicted the monsters in vivid and horrifying detail. No doubt they were prowling right outside the hut at this very moment, waiting to pounce. Waiting to go in for the kill. Rebekah didn't want to die...

'Spare us,' she begged silently, barely hearing her own thoughts over the clatter of her teeth. Kol had barely even lived yet - he hadn't lived to show the world his beautiful smile. Noble Elijah did not deserve to have his pure soul stripped away so soon. And Nik... Nik had already been through hell by Father's hand. A hell he endured every day. He deserved this least of all. 'Please, let us live...' Rebekah whimpered.

Nik stirred beside her. Propping himself up, he crawled towards his sister. 'Hush, Rebekah', he said soothingly, his eyes serene, yet pained from seeing her thus. 'It's just a storm.'

'Don't be afraid. I won't let it hurt you', Nik promised.

Holding his reassuring gaze, Rebekah instantly felt safe. As he gently caressed her head, she felt the crippling worry wash out of her head, replaced by a warm and powerful sense of solace from Nik's mere presence. She knew Nik would shield her from any danger, always. The immense courage he had ...Rebekah had admired it from the start. She yearned to be like him...

Suddenly Nik let go, moving quickly towards the back of the hut. 'Nik, don't go!' Rebekah pleaded, feeling the fear slowly creeping back into her as another lightning bolt struck the bushes nearby.

Fortunately, Nik returned quickly and opened his hand to reveal a small, wooden statue.

'I carved it for father,' he said. His voice was calm, but Rebekah could hear the hurt he was trying so hard to conceal. 'It's a brave knight.'

Rebekah instantly recognised the knight. She had seen Nik carry the gift to Father herself one snowy night that winter. Concealed behind a curtain, she had watched as he knocked quietly on Father's door, a hopeful smile on his lips, his hands covered in scratches from the meticulous carving. It must have taken him days to make something so beatiful. Yet Father had responded with nothing but indifference and utter cruelty. 'Away with your idle nothings, stupid boy!' he had screamed, throwing Nik's loving work across the hut in a fit of rage. 'You cannot even hold a bow steady, yet you waste countless hours on such games as these? Instead of living up to your duties and hunting to provide for us? You are a disgrace.'

Seeing Nik's heart bleed on his face only incited Father to continue. With a malicious scoff, he spat: 'What, you thought I'd be proud? That knight on the wood - that is the son I should have had, the son you will never be. You have but reminded me of the midless fool, the coward I got instead of a worthy child. Get out of my sight, boy. Now!' And Nik ran.

Rebekah recalled creeping back to her room with bare feet after seeing the terrible encounter. The hay on the hut's floor had been wet with Nik's tears.

Nik's voice brought her back to the the present. He had pressed the knight into Rebekah's hand while she had been lost in thought. 'Now you can be brave, too,' he whispered gently.

Closing her fingers around the knight, Rebekah smiled in gratitude. The small wooden figure was already beginning to instil the strength to overcome the storm in the young girl. Yet she still needed her brother. 'Will you stay with me until the storm ends?' she asked, looking up to meet his deep green eyes.

Nik took her hand in his, squeezing firmly, his eyes saturated in affection. He replied with absolute and genuine certainty in his voice:

'I will always stay with you, Rebekah. No matter what.'


End file.
